Five Keys to the Middle East Issue:A Review of Middle East Politics and Society

After World War II,the Middle East,due to its irreplaceable geographic value and oil resources,has been an arena for international politics and a barometer of international relations.Its long and sophisticated history and unique religions,nationalities,sects and tribes also add to its mystery.However,introductory books or articles on the Middle East often turn out to be disappointing in the eyes of the readers.Many experts and scholars then try to sort out the nature of the Middle East issues by highlighting its vital points as Dr.Lian Wang does in his new book Middle East Politics and Society.This article reviews the basic structure and characteristics of the book and strives to interpret the five key concepts of contemporary Middle East studies summarized by the author in the hope of furthering the research in this respect.